More Dairy-Free Goodness

It’s been a hot minute on here. And since that last minute, I’ve actually found a ton of more dairy-free deliciousness that I could not wait to share.

As you know, we are a dairy-free and gluten-free household, so finding options that taste more than good for two adults and a 5-year-old can be a challenge. We’ve been all over the health food scene and tasting tons of different brands. I’m happy to report back that I’ve found EVEN BETTER options than before and some in addition to the items I’ve mentioned before.

So what does that mean? It means I now have foods to make yogurt, mac and cheese and even grilled cheese! To say I’m thrilled is an understatement. Now as a reminder, some dairy-free items, even though they may be organic, aren’t always the lowest in fat. So everything in moderation…. Enjoy! 🙂

The Best Non-Dairy Dairy Foods

Ice Cream – NADA Moo
Ok this is one of the best ice creams I have ever had. Period. And I am not just talking about a dairy-free option. I have gotten multiple family members and friends hooked on this stuff simply because of how good it is and how simple the ingredients are. It is coconut-based, yet has no coconut flavor. Another bonus is a number of the flavors are also cane sugar-free and instead sweetened with organic agave. It is incredibly creamy too! My personal favorite is the Maple Pecan flavor. Although my husband and daughter prefer the Himalayan Salted Caramel. You can find it at Whole Foods, Fresh Market, and Online.

Yogurt – Forager’s Cashewgurt
Finally I can have dairy-free yogurt WITH live and active cultures that tastes delicious! Finding this brand was a home-run in my house. So this yogurt is actually made from cashews. Weird, but it works. We buy the large container of plain yogurt and then add our own maple syrup to sweeten it. Next we add our own gluten-free granola and some fresh or frozen fruit to it. I personally love the Purely Elizabeth brand for my granola. It really does taste amazing. For the yogurt they have different flavored options as well that we have yet to try. However I am sure they taste great. Also the fact that it has the probiotics in there makes me love it even more. It is the first dairy-free yogurt that isn’t ungodly sweet or tastes like aspartame. We have at least two containers of this in our fridge at all times!

Butter for cooking – Miyoko’s Butter
So in my last dairy-free post I talked about Earth Balance butter. It is a great substitute for cooking and baking. However I stumbled upon Miyoko’s vegan butter and now it is a staple in our home. Miyoko’s has an amazing saltiness to it that is great for cooking. Another added benefit is that it has live and active cultures as well a being certified organic. Although with this one, beware. It does NOT do well in baking. I have tried using it to bake multiple things and for some reason it just does not hold up. So if you are baking, definitely go with the tried and true Earth Balance Butter.

Mac and Cheese – Daiya Deluxe Cheddar Style Cheesy Mac
I have been on the search for a while now for a good mac and cheese substitute. This was a childhood favorite of mine and I felt I was depriving my child until I could find a worthy substitute. We gave Annie’s Vegan Mac and Cheese a good try, but it was just a tad too sweet for my daughter. We stumbled upon this brand at Walmart and decided to give it a go. It really is the closest you are going to get to Mac and Cheese. However one thing to note when making it is not to use all of the cheese sauce. They give you way too much! I only use about a quarter of it and it is plenty cheesy enough. What’s cool about the Daiya Mac and Cheese is that I save the extra cheese sauce and use regular pasta we have at home to make our own. So even though the box can be a little expensive, I get a good 2-3 mac and cheese meals out of it.

Cheese Puffs – Vegan Robs Cheese Puffs
Ahh alas a dairy-free cheese puff! We were introduced to the Vegan Rob brand at our local organic food co-op. My daughter loves their vegan “cheddar” puffs, and I gotta say they aren’t half bad. The cool thing is they have a million different flavored puffs that are great for her school snacks. Aside from her love of the cheddar puffs, the cauliflower puffs and beet puffs are really good too. It’s also nice to see they are a healthy alternative to a lot of the other “puffs” on the market. 🙂

Grilled Cheese – Daiya Cheese Slices
We have mastered the dairy-free grilled cheese sandwich and I may be guilty of eating one or two from time to time. The brand I mentioned above that is killing the Mac and Cheese game, also has a number of other dairy-free products which is why it is also a favorite for #7 below. These cheese slices melt like real cheese! We use our bread, some of the Earth Balance or Miyoko’s butter, and a slice of this cheese and VIOLA! You have yourself a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. Full disclosure, there are quite some calories here so you may not want this to be your go-to, but man is it good!

Pizza – Daiya Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Pizza
And last but not least I give you pizza. This I actually only found three days ago. Once again I was in Walmart and it caught my eye on the way out. I had to try it! We normally buy gluten-free english muffins, the Daiya shredded mozzarella and some pizza sauce to make our own, but the idea of having it ready to go was cool. Plus, it looked like a “real” pizza, which is what my daughter was most impressed by. And the verdict, pretty darn good for a quick oven-ready gluten-free, dairy-free pizza. I happen to cook it a bit too long so the crust was quite toasty, but my daughter absolutely loved it. If you are craving some pizza, this will definitely do the trick!

Coffee Creamer – So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer
This was a big win for me because I tired at least a dozen different dairy-free creamers and couldn’t stand them. I am a bit of a coffee snob and like my coffee to taste a certain way. If I could do it the way I like, pain-free, I would always have light cream in my coffee. So having to find a substitute for the dairy was extremely hard. Not to mention finding a dairy-free creamer that didn’t contain tons of junk and chemicals was also a challenge. Did I mention I cannot stand almond milk creamers? haha. So the dilemma was real. We came upon this brand at our local food market and I have been hooked on it ever since. Again it is one of the coconut milk products that has no hint of coconut in the flavor. Win. What I also loved is there are only 5 ingredients and ZERO extra sugar. Next time you are in the market swing by the creamer section and give this one a try.

So that’s all I have for you right now. I hope I’ve given you some ideas and new options to help in your dairy-free lifestyle. Happy eating! 🙂